Chris Pilgrim has backed Newcastle Falcons to make hay while the sun shines, profiting from firmer pitches during the business end of the season.

The scrum-half has missed all but the first two games of the campaign after snapping knee ligaments, but reckons warmer conditions and harder surfaces will suit his promotion-chasers down to the ground.

With the Falcons well clear at the top of the Championship and certain to finish the regular season in top spot, the former Nottingham man said: “Our fitness will really tell.

“The fact the business end of the season is decided when the pitches are firmer will play right into our hands.

“The strength and conditioning this year has been absolutely brilliant, the team is in top nick and the style we are looking to play really suits that.

“It is such an exciting time for the boys and, while it is hard for me not being out there as a player, it makes we want to get back and involved again.”

Newcastle are still unbeaten in all 24 competitive matches this term, and Pilgrim added: “We started off reasonably well and had sticky patches when the conditions deteriorated, but now we seem to be building again.

“We have been very hard on ourselves even when we have been winning every week and some of the victories we have had have felt like losses the way we have been ruthless in our analysis.

“That is important because we need to maintain Premiership standards, to make sure when we do go back into the big league we are not just doing it to make up the numbers.

“We want to challenge and that is everyone’s attitude.”

Despite being ran close by Bedford in their most recent outing, last month’s 50-3 drubbing of semi-final contenders Cornish Pirates is the template they aim to follow.

Pilgrim said: “That was a great message to show to the rest of the division what we have in our locker, and that when you come to Kingston Park that is what you are going to get.”

Newcastle are next in action on Friday when they travel to Nottingham.